Everyone has talents and gifts. Everyone! I tell people in my UP Your Attitude program that it is their responsibility to use their gifts. There is simply no acceptable excuse for doing anything else.
Of course it’s easier for some people to discover and use their gifts than others. Some people encounter more obstacles than others. That’s life. But as Naomi Judd so aptly said, “You’re only a victim once. The next time you’re an accomplice.”
Now you may argue with me. You may say you’re stuck in a relationship or stuck in a job and you have no choice. You may truly believe you are the victim of circumstances.
That’s simply not true. You almost always have choices … if you’re fully aware of your assets. Here are four things you’ve got to know and got to do to improve your life and career right now!
1. Remember … You Always Have Choices.
The problem is you may not like some of your choices, but you still have choices. And as soon as you realize you made the choice to be where you’re at, you will have less stress. You will know you’ve got some control over your life and you can change it if you wish.
Let’s say, for example, that you and I are having a conversation. You tell me that you hate your job so I tell you to quit. You might say, “I can’t. I have to stay here. I have no choice.”
But you do have a choice. The alternative to the job you hate may be a worse job. The alternative may be going on welfare, or letting your parents pay your bills. Or the alternative may be letting your kids and family starve.
The fact is, however, that you do have choices. And you made a choice. You examined the alternatives, and the one you chose was better than those alternatives. When you understand that, you’ll realize YOU are in control. You can get off your assets and do something, anytime you want.
However, you may be fooled into thinking you don’t have any choices if you don’t see all your assets to make things better. So be very careful.
2. Do Not Dismiss Any of Your Assets.
Unfortunately, lots of people do. Or at the very least, they fail to see their assets. They act like some of the frustrated, ignorant creatures in the animal kingdom.
If you put a buzzard in a pen six or eight feet square, for example, with the top entirely open, the bird will remain a prisoner despite his ability to fly. The buzzard is used to starting his flight with a ten to twelve foot run. Without the space to run, he won’t even attempt to fly. He’ll remain a prisoner for life in a jail that has no top. He fails because he does not fully recognize his assets.
Or, if you drop a bumblebee into an open tumbler it will stay there until he dies. He keeps on looking for some way out through the sides near the bottom of the glass. He never sees his means of escape out through the top. He also fails to recognize his assets.
The more important question is … what about you? Are you fully aware of all your talents and gifts? I strongly recommend that you…
3. Become Fully Aware of All Your Assets.
It will improve your self-esteem and empower you more than you could possibly imagine. That’s why it’s one of the first things I teach in my Journey to the Extraordinary program. (As of the date of this post, the next offering will be in Chicago, IL on November 10-11, 2016.)
Of course, some of you may be saying, “That’s easier said than done. I don’t know what all my assets are and I don’t know how to find them.”
Then try this. Start to write down every asset you possess, no matter how big, small, important, or silly. Go for quantity on your list. You can always refine it later. Write down talents or gifts you possess. You might have certain positive personality characteristics, some skills you’ve mastered, a natural ear for music, the education you’ve acquired, or any number of other things.
Shoot for at least 50 assets on your list. If you can’t think of 50, take your time. You can add to the list as new things come to mind over the next few days and weeks. And new things will come to mind. Ask your friends and coworkers to add some assets to the list that you may have overlooked.
And once you have a more complete list of your assets, you need to …
4. Get Off Your Assets and Do Something.
You need to make sure you’re using all, or at least more, of your assets. That’s what will keep you from feeling stuck or inappropriately concluding that you have no choices.
That’s what one marathon runner did. Perhaps you remember him. By the time he was 50 years old, he had run 50 marathons. That’s amazing enough – running 50 marathons, each of them 26 miles and 385 yards in length. But even more amazing is that this man had no feet, no legs, just stumps. A reporter asked him, “How do you do it?” He simply said, “You don’t lean backwards.”
What great advice! You don’t lean backwards in life. You use your assets and you move forward.
One lady figured that out. She lost her husband at about the same time they had planned to retire and travel together. They had made all their plans and were looking forward to the fulfillment of their lifelong dream. But a month after he retired, her husband suddenly died.
All of life seemed to come to an end for the wife. She put a tombstone on her husband’s grave that said, “The light of my life has gone out.”
But with the passage of time and the use of her assets, she decided to keep busy, meet people, and keep on living. Two years later she met another wonderful man and began to build a new life.
When it was time to get married, she told her pastor, “I’m going to have to change that line on the tombstone. I can’t say ‘the light of my life has gone out’.”
Her wise pastor said, “No. I think all you have to do is add another line–‘I struck a new match!'”
Final Thought: Get off your assets and do something.
Journey to the Extraordinary Chicago 2016 – Early, Early Bird Discount Ending Soon!
Friends, if you’re ready to “get off your assets” and learn my 12 Keys to Guaranteed Success both on and off the job, there’s never been a better time to sign up for my Journey to the Extraordinary program coming to Chicago, IL on November 10-11, 2016! My two-day, intensive, immersive Journey experience is focused on giving you the skills you need to bring out the best in yourself and others.
The keys you’ll learn in the Journey program, along with all the other great bonuses and reinforcement materials you’ll receive, will jump start your own personal Journey to the happiness and success you’ve always wanted. It worked that way for Carolyn Krumrey – Chief at NASA. She said,
“What would I change in the ‘Journey?’ Nothing. You have made the greatest impact on my life of any public speaker. This program is terrific!”
You can join me and others from around the country, and enjoy a deep discount, for a limited time only. To secure your spot for this life-changing, work-transforming event, simply click here.
